YouTube is rolling out custom thumbnail uploads for Shorts to YouTube Partner Program creators, the company announced in a blog post. The feature, which YouTube called a “top-requested” addition, gives creators direct control over how their Shorts appear rather than limiting them to a frame pulled from the video itself. YouTube said it will expand access to more creators over time.

Creators on desktop can also now choose from three suggested thumbnail frames for Shorts, matching an option long available for long-form video. On mobile, the YouTube app still allows selection of any frame from the video.

The change marks a shift from YouTube’s own prior explanation for withholding the feature. In May 2025, YouTube Shorts Product Lead Todd Sherman told creators that the platform deliberately limited Shorts thumbnails to frame selection because “most thumbnails are never seen,” arguing that Shorts viewers swipe through a feed rather than browse thumbnails the way long-form viewers do. 

YouTube’s latest announcement frames the new upload option in the opposite terms, saying custom thumbnails will make “it easier for viewers to discover your content and know what to expect.”

AI Thumbnail Generation Comes to Ask Studio

YouTube is also bringing thumbnail generation into Ask Studio for long-form videos. Creators can ask the tool to generate a thumbnail for a specific video, then adjust colors and layout through further chat prompts. YouTube said the generated thumbnails are tailored to a video’s themes and the creator’s style.

The addition follows a separate controversy over AI-generated thumbnails. In June 2025, MrBeast removed an AI thumbnail generator from his analytics platform Viewstats days after launch, following criticism from other creators. Streamer PointCrow alleged the tool was trained on creators’ existing thumbnails without permission, and MrBeast said afterward he had “missed the mark” despite intending to help smaller creators, later replacing the tool with links to human artists for commission. 

YouTube’s blog post does not address how Ask Studio’s thumbnail generator was trained or whether it draws on creator-uploaded content.

The company said the combined updates are meant to save creators time while giving viewers a more visually engaging browsing experience.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Check Out Our Podcast